Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: youth inclusion in Community; meal payment; work

[lelle Andersson (jagheterlelle]

-----Original Message-----
From: Ruth Hirsch [mailto:heidinys [at] earthlink.net]
> We have several youth/kid related questions on the table.
> In my mind, the meta-question is: including kids in Community.
> At a  Kids Committee meeting this morning,  a twelve year old asked
> why we are discussing these questions now.  We moved in over nine
> years ago!
> These questions have been muddling around, and we're looking to
> perhaps come to better understanding of them.
>
> Next:  Kids and contribution to Community.  Do your kids have
> responsibilities to Community?
> What job/s?
> At what age/s?
> Do kids come to regular meetings?

We are just crafting a new membership levels policy at Camelot Cohousing (in 
Berlin, MA) now that we have our comprehensive permit and are looking 
forward to living in our community.  It was suggested to us that 'Child' 
should be a separate membership category, with fee structure, 
responsibilities, and rights, like any other membership level.  Without 
that, the kids are sort of in limbo -- they are not equity members since 
they cannot make legally binding decisions for their household, but what 
else would they be?
So far we have only the bare bones of the idea, and we are looking for 
examples of others' child policies -- what responsibilities and associated 
rights do the children have in your community?  How formal is the policy?  
Did you adopt one before moving in (and perhaps before teenagers in the 
community) or later on?

Thank you!
Heléne
Camelot Cohousing
Berlin, Massachusetts

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